Patient's kin vandalises hospital casualty, 6 held

Family members of a patient who died at  at Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini vandalised the hospital premises on Sunday evening. Six people were arrested in connection with the case on Monday, said police.

Parvez, an accident victim, was brought to the hospital at 7.20 pm on Monday. The patient succumbed to injuries around 9.30 pm. “The patient was brought in a state of shock. It was a case of polytrauma and  he had also suffered multiple fractures. The patient had also suffered considerable blood,” said a doctor at the hospital.

According to doctors, the patient’s family came with at least 20 people once the patient was declared dead. “They started vandalising the casualty department and also the minor OT attached to it. Twelve doctors were present at the casualty at that time. Both the doctors and the security guards started running for cover when the attendants started attacking the premises,” said another doctor.

However, some of the patient’s attendants later came back and apologised to the doctors saying it was a ‘mistake’. Following this, an FIR was lodged in the case.

“The six arrested have been booked under sections 353 (use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty), 147 (rioting) and 149 (offence committed by any member of an unlawful assembly consisting five or more). The  family brought more people to vandalise the hospital after he died,” said a police official.

Doctors said the Delhi government should take immediate measures to beef up security on the hospital premises.

“How can doctors be held accountable for every death? The patient was brought in a critical condition and the doctors tried their best to resuscitate him. But the patient’s family started vandalising hospital property. How can doctors work under such conditions?

Such cases are being reported every day but no steps have been taken to address these problems,” said Dr Pankaj Solanki, Federation of Residents’ Doctors’ Association president.